DCCC Chairman Steve Israel announced today that Representative Jim Himes will be the committee’s National Finance Chair to build on a powerful fundraising operation that started the cycle with its strongest-ever first month. Despite being in the minority, the DCCC outraised the NRCC in the 2012 election and has more cash-on-hand than the NRCC for the first time since the 2010 elections.

“The DCCC is in our best financial position in years, and Jim Himes is the right person to build on our terrific operation so that we can wage a strong battle to roll back the Tea Party Republican House,” DCCC Chair Steve Israel said. “Over his career, Jim Himes has proven that he’s deeply committed to strengthening the middle class – and he’ll work relentlessly to elect more people to Congress who share our middle class values and defeat people who want to give more tax breaks to the well-connected. I also thank Representative Allyson Schwartz on behalf of our entire caucus for her work giving us a strong start.”

Representative Himes will oversee the DCCC’s national fundraising to ensure House Democrats have the resources to win seats in 2014. During the 2012 cycle, Representative Himes co-chaired the Business Council and served as Frontline Chair.

“As the Republican majority once again holds jobs, recovery, and the middle class hostage to extreme ideology, it is more important than ever that we fill the House with representatives who will eat, sleep, and breathe opportunity for their fellow Americans,” Representative Jim Himes said. “I'm thrilled to devote myself to that effort."

The National Finance Chair works closely with Chairman Israel, Leader Nancy Pelosi, House Leadership and the entire caucus to plan and execute strategies that will ensure House Democrats’ success in 2014.